The South Wales Star

MR. ALFRED THOMAS, M.P., AT PENTYRGH. A REVIEW OF TORY GOVERNMENT. POOR LAW REFORM. HOME RULE FOR WALES. THE "SOUTH WALES STAR" COMPLI- MENTED. On Saturday evening last an enthusiastic and well-attended Liberal meeting was held at Pen- tyrch, when Mr. Alfred Thomas, M.P. for East Glamorgan, gave a report of his stewardship dur- ing the past six years. The chair was occupied by the Rev. J. Davies, Taihirion, who was supported on the platform by Mr. Alfred Thomas. M.P.. Mr. Lewis Williams. J.P., Cardiff and Professor Barbier, Cardiff University College. There were also present the Rev. T. Jones Davies, Messrs. Thomas Williams, Daniel Williams. Charles Pritchard, Robert Morgan, Enoch David, W. James (Penylan), E. Williams (Penllwyn), J. Williams, D. John. &c.. &c. The Chairman, in his opening address, said they had met there to welcome their hon. member who had so well represented his constituency in Parlia- ment since his election. He was sure that all present felt when they came in contact with Mr. Alfred Thomas, that he was a man with a heart full of sympathy with all that was true and pure in the affairs of the country, and that which tended to improve the condition of his fellow- couutrymen. (Hear, hear.) When he addressed them before he was all untried man. but now he came before them as one who had done his duty admirably and well, so well even as to prejudice the minds of some people against him. He (the speaker) had taken great interest in their hon. member, and had felt his heart flow when reading his speeches in the daily press, which speeches he might say gave n clear and lucid explana- tion of what the bills he introduced into Parliament really meant. (Cheers.) All pre- sent wore willing to put their shoulders to the wheel and return him to Parliament in face of all opposition. In spite of the attempts of publicans, clergy, and Primrose dames, would they support him ? (Laughter and applause.) Rev. T. Jones Davies rose to move a vote of confidence in Mr. Alfred Thamas, and in doing so said the hon. gentleman had proved himself to be a man well able to fill the important post to which he had been elected. Hardly any other member in Wale* had proved himself to be such a staunch supporter of the principles of Liberalism as Mr. Thomas hud. (Hear. hear.) The people they wanted to represent Wales nowadays were hot mere speakers, but men who were able to frame bills for the benefit of the country in which they lived. (Applause.) Referring to Mr. Alfred Thomas' Poor Law Amendment Act, the speaker said that no law in England was more complicated than the law for the support of the poor. Their member had taken unto himself a hard task, and one which had undoubtedly greatly tried his patience and given him a considerable unount of worry, yet he would be able to carry it through if only he had • the hoarty support of his colleagues and the ap- proval of his constituency. Many bills were passed through Parliament which gave little, if any. benefit to the working man but the time had come for the working classes to obtain the attention of the Government. Mr. Joseph Cham- berlain had recently said he advocated the great- est good for the greatest number," and he (th<j speaker)wae of the same opinion in that respect. An old Welsh tdage s..Üd." Trech gwlad nag ar- flwydd," and cerfeainlythe working classes, who were by far the majority of the inhabitants, should claim and demand the attention, and the chief attention, of the Parliament of the present day. (Applause.) He sincerely hoped that Mr. Thomas would be spared to do much good to his country by forming more such practical laws for the benefit of the poor of the country. Alluding to the anticipated opposition which Mr. Thomas would have at the next election, the speaker said he was glad of it. as it would only prove to the country at large the strength of Liberalism in East Glamorgan. (Applause.) The vote was seconded by Mr. Isaac Williams. supported by Mr. Charles Pritchard, assistant- overseer, and carried unanimously. THE RON. MEMBER S SPEECH. Mr. Alfred Thomas. M.P., in the course of his opening remarks, which were delivered in Welsh, said he was glad to see Welsh questions coming to the front. Even Lord Salisbury prided himself on being of Welsh descent. He was also glad to see 'I Welshmen show more self-respect than they had done in years gone by, when it was the custom for a man, as soon as he left his native land, to abjure all claim to be a Welshman. This was undoubtedly due more to a mistaken notion that to be a Welsh- man was to be a nonentity than anything else. Personally, he was very sorry that his parents had neglected to teach him the language of his native land, and to attain the degree of fluency which he had at present attained had cost him much labour. The hon. member then apologised for the absence of Mr. William Abraham, M.P. (Mabon), who was ¡ detained in London as interpreter for the large I number of Welsh witnesses who came before the labour Commission, and he was certain they would excuse his hon. friend for being absent under such circumstances. Proceeding in English. Mr. Thomas said he trusted that the sacrifices he had made on behalf of those he represented in Parlia- ment had been a little repayment for the services they had done him when he was in need of friends. (Cheers.) WHAT THE TORIES HAVE DOXR. Since the memorable 9th of November, Lord I Salisbury had made a most remarkable speech, in which he showed what great things the Conser- vatives had done for the country. They had done the same work as the Liberals would have done had they been in power, but they had not done it so well. (Laughter.) Of course, they had to thank them for small mercies. (Renewed laugh- ter.) They had reason to be grateful for the Technical Education Act and for free edu- cation but who ever heard that free edu- cation was a Conservative question twelve months ago. But, he asked, was it free education 7 No it was free if the fees were threepence per week and under. Where the fees were higher th:n threepence it was not free and, consequently, the measure was an incomplete one. In fact, all the measures granted by the Unionist Government were incomplete. When Lord Salisbury spoke at the Lord Mayor's banquet, it was expected that he would make some declaration which would open the eyes of all Europe for in that banquet the Prime Minister was always expected to make some statement to foreshadow the policy of his Govern- ment during the coming session, but if they had not found more than he had done in that speech, the eyes of all Europe had been greatly dis- I appointed. (Laughter.) How different another statesman would have spoken. He would have said something similar to the following :—" We intend t to re-introduce a Bill on the same lines as I introduced in 1885, but it will have one change in it—namely, the retention of the Irish members in the House of Commons." He (Mr. Thomas) would like him to add also there is another little country called Wales, where they have a church-an Established Church —which we intend to treat as we treated the Irish Church 20 years ago." (Loud applause.) WELSH DISESTABLISHMENT. He felt strongly on this subject, and it was time the matter was taken up by the Grand Old Leader. (Cheers.) Ho would not give in to any man in his determination to give Home Rule for Ireland, for all the countries of the United Kingdom should have Home Rule, but he believed they should have a Bill for the Disestablishmeut of the English Church in Wales at the same time. (Cheers.) The cause for the Disestablishment of the Church in Ireland was not stronger than the cause in Wales twenty years ago, and if they had the right sort of representatives in Parliament then the Church in Wales would have been disestablished too. (Cheers.) It would be their fault if the Irish Home Rule Question, and the Welsh Dis- establishment question did not run on parallel lines, and he had stated that if Mr. Gladstone and his party when they brought forward their Home Rule Bill did not also bring a Bill for the Dis- establishment of the Church in Wales, at the same time that he would feel he had no right to belong to such a party. (Lc<ud applause.) When Mr. Gladstone brought his Home Rule Bill in 1885. another Bill was introduced entitled, the Land Purchase Bill for Ireland, and Mr. Gladstone said if one was lost he would drop both. What he wanted was that Wales should be treated in the same manner, and that the Liberal party should drop the both Bills unless both could be carried through. It would be a disgrace to the,Welsh I members if they allowed this question to lag any longer, for they had been overlooked long enough. Let the English, Scotch, and Irish people help the Welsh, and the latter would then gladly support them. The English people understood the ques- tion as well as the Welsh people did, and felt quite as strongly as they did, and it only re- mained for them to make some sacrifices in order that this long-delayed justice should be meted out to the people of Wales. (Applause,) He was proud to say that he had no fear of the result, in- asmuch as no party in the House of Commons were more united and full of fight than were the Welsh party. (Cheers.) POOR LAW REFORM. He had introduced three Bills to the House since his election, and one had been passed. (Hear, hear.) He did not intend to introduce an- other until the other two had also become laws. (Cheers.) Before he introduced his Poor Law Amendment Act. he sent a number of questions to j the Boards of Guardians in different parts of the country, and those questions had stirred them up more than anything else bad for a long time, and he had been told by the friends of the poor that they had cause to be grateful to him for introducing the Bill inasmuch as it had brought the Boards of Guardians to a sense of their duty. This was a great Bill, though he said it, and the raost important introduced by any private member during the last 50 years. (Loud applause.) He did not know whether the Bill would be carried in the form in which he had in- troduced it, but as far as he could gather he had reason to believe that the next administration would carry many of the reforms mentioned in the Bill. One clause dealt with the matter of registration. They had at present four different franchises in the country, and that was a disgrace to the country. Why should a man be compelled to attend a court to prove that he had a right to vote, and if the man had not paid his rates or the rate collector had neglected his duty, the voter wonld be disfranchised. He had known some, notable cases where some 400 men were dis- franchised in consequence of their employers neglecting to pay the rates. (Shame.) He had ¡ also heard of a case in Lianeily some two years ago where a number of people employed at the tin works had been disfranchised owing to the failure of the proprietors. The men did not care to break up their homes, and many of them had stayed in their houses until the works were re-started, and had to apply for relief, the consequence being that their names were knocked off the rate books, and 200 men failed to vote at the election. Ic was a gross injustice to disfranchise a man who was compelled to apply for temporary relief. (Loud cheers.) Another clause in the Bill dealt with State pensioners. Here he would like to refer to Mr. Chamberlain, who seemed to be altogether going adrift at present. There was no doubt that he was an able man. but inasmuch as he had elected to throw in his lot with the Conservatives, it was for him to take his own course. Some two years ago that gentleman had deprecated his scheme, but now wanted to introduce a similar Bill to that which he (Mr. Thomas) brought for- ward some two years ago. In a few years they might hear Mr. Chamberlain claim to himself the praise due to the author of the scheme but he did not care who introduced it as long as it was carricd. (Loud applause.) Perhaps it would startle them to know that every year in the United King- dom a sum of £8,000,000 was given in pensions. f (•'Shame.") As many as 170.000 people received pensions that day. and of these no more than 70,000 had any right to have a pension at all. (Cries of Shame.") They had simply lived on the fat of the land, and had been supported by the country. He would be glad to see the day dawn when no pensions were paid at all, but as long as pensions were paid, he considered that the man who had supported the State by paying rates was as much entitled to a pension as the man who had served his country in vrar: and he contended that any man who had lived to the age of 65 years honestly and well should be supported by the State, and not compelled to end his days in the workhouse. (Cheers.) He argued that inasmuch as the working-man had helped to provide the wealth of the country he had a claim when old age overtook him to a share of the profits. Such a scheme had been introduced in Denmark, and why not in England ? (Applause.) He had been asked to go in for aecheme of insurance, and he proposed a schemc such as would allow a man who sub- scribed or insured himself to the extent of £10 should receive an additional :£ 10 from the Govern- ment, in order that the working classes might have an inducement for thrift. (Cheers.) He had been blamed by eome people for taking away in- ducements for thrift; but those people who blamed him in this matter never made a bigger mistake. He should be very sorry indeed to do anything of the kind. The young' people of the country had greatly improved in habits of thrift, and he was of opinion that such habits should be encouraged, so that the last years of the life of working men should be as comfortable as possible. (Loud ap- plause.) HOME RULE FOR WALES. One of the speakers had referred to another Bill which he had introduced—namely, the National Institutions (Wales) Bill. That, however, was the name given by the Clerk at the table, and not by him (the hon. member). This Bill favoured the appointment of a Minister for Wales and of local self-government for Wales. (Cheers.) Some two years ago he thought it his duty to move an amendment to the Address, in order to give an opportunity to Welsh members to speak of the grievances under which the Principality suffered, but the Welsh party did not think that an oppor- tune time to do so, and he took upon himself to move an amendment to the Address. (Cheers.) One reason was because he thought Wales should receive more recognition than it had in the past, for be believed they were as Welsh and as distinctive in nationality and race as they were seven hundred years ago. He thought they should have someone whose special duty it would be to look after pure Welsh affairs. Re- ferring to the language grievance, the hon. member said they had all heard of miscarriages of justice which hsd taken place owing to the appoint- ment of English judges to try Welfeh criminals. The judges of India were obliged to learn the lan- guage of the country over whose law-courts they presided, and he contended that it was only fair that the judges of Wales should be acquainted with the language of the people. (Hear, hear.) They were glad to see that the editor of the South Wale* Star—(cheers)—had taken this matter up. He had done so in a very energetic manner, and their thanks were due to him for the very promi- nent yart he had taken in the controversy. (Loud applause.) If they had a few more men like him they would create a considerable stir in the Prin- cipality. He had also to thank his Honour Judge Gwilym Williams—(applause)—for the determined stand he had also taken in the matter, and he hoped that the time was not far distant when this grievance, and other grievances from which the Welsh people at present suffered, would be totally done away with. (Cheers.) Alluding to the present form of appointing magistrates, the speaker said there was more dissatisfaction with regard to this than hardly anything else. In his Bill he had provided a clause to the effect that magistrates should be appointed from a list of names drawn up by the County Council and ap- proved by the Welsh Minister. The Bill would also provide for a National Council or gentlemen elected from the different County Councils, and to give this Council extensive powers. And very shortly a conference would be held at Cardiff to discuss the Bill, when he would enter more fully into the matter than he h;d done that night, and he hoped to see a large number of his consti- tuents present. (Loud applause, during which the hon. gentleman resumed his seat, having spoken for over an hour.) Mil LEWIS WILLIAMS, J.P. Mr. Lewis Williams, Cardiff, said they were now working hard in view of the general election, which could not be very far off. Many things had happened since they met six years ago. The Unionist party had been in power, and he quite agreed with Mr. Thomas when he said that they passed some good measures, They lost nothing by giving praise where such was due. The work of the Unionist Government was good far as it went; but why had they done this good work ? Because Mr. Goschen had told the Government if they did not do it that the Radicals would, and in a much more effective manner. (Laughter.) They had been told that if the Liberals in the House of Commons passed certain measures that they would be thrown out in the House of Lords, but he could assure them that their action would be greatly resented. Who did the House of Lords represent ? (Cries of "Nobody," and Themselves.") They had no right to throw out the measures which the people passed. (Cheers.) Mr. Chamberlain had lately made a remarkable declaration, but he had made a great blunder. He (the speaker) was sorry for him, for he had rendered splendid service to the Liberal party. But he said he did not seek re- union. That certainly was not the cry of the great bulk of the Unionist party and the JMily ('Ii ron ¡("It' very wisely said that if such were Mr. Chamberlain's views, it certainly was not theirs. (Cheers.) The result of Mr. Chamberlain's last speech would be to scatter the remnants of the Unionist party to the four winds of heaven. (Laughter.) The great question at the next election would not be, would they have a Unionist Govern- ment, but would they have a Tory Government. The Unionist Government had passed some measures promoted by Liberal statesmen. But he deplored the fact that if the Tories went into power at the next election they would have an un- diluted Tory Government—a Salisbury dic- tatorship—not so much so, perhaps, as the Balmaceda dictatorship in South America, but a dictatorship nevertheless. They all knew of Lord Salisbury's strorg will and determination, and it was a question whether they were prepared to offer him the government of the country. Perhaps they would { "I y ask what Lord Salisbury professed to give them during the next session. Well. he proposed giving suffrages to women, and that would undoubtedly give the Tory party more votes at the next election, but inasmuch as the measure was a good one and a Liberal one, it was the duty of Liberals to sup- port it. Lord Salisbury was prepared to give money for public funds to provide allotments, but he asked who would administer them Well. the parochial councils. But the Tories scorned the thought of a parochial council, and said they might as well have a circus in the parish. They were afraid to trust the working men with power in the rural parts of England and Wales. (" Shame.") The speaker thought there was plenty of work which parochial councils could do, they could look after local charaties and manage the schools. It was a great pity that a section or a religious body, no matter what denomination it was, should take nine-tenths of the moneys provided by Government towards the support of the schools entirely irrespective of the feelings of the people of the parish. (Cheers.) He was not there to run down the clergy, but he ventured to say that they would be better men if they came into closer contact with the working classes, and put away that self- assertiveness which detracted from their influence. (Applause.) What the Liberal programme was they knew well enough. They all wanted to see their grand old leader back again. Referring to z, the cry that the Home Rule question would create clerical intolerance. Mr. Williams said he did not } think so for it would be one of the things which a free press and a free people would make im- possible. (Cheers.) Perhaps Ireland might be more under the power of the priests than any section of the empire, but then the priests had nothing like the power they had 30 years ago, and would never think of trying to control the people. Referring in flattering terms to the good work which Mr. Alfred Thomas had done, Mr. Williams said his constitu- ents ought to feel proud of him, and would have reason, he believed, to feel more proud of him yet. (Cheers.) Professor Barbier having spoken, the Rev. T. ,3 f Jones Davies moved :— That this meeting most heartily approves of the Bills introduced into Parliament, and earnestly hopes that they will become law. (Cheers.) This was seconded and passed amid applause.—The usual votes of thanks having been passed, the meeting terminated. _n_

LLANDYFODWG SCHOOL BOARD. WELSH ADOPTED AS A SPECIFIC SUBJECT. The usual monthly meeting of this Board was held at Craigrhiwglyn on Monday. There were present — Messrs. D. Evans (chairmau). Joseph Abel, Evan Griffiths, Lewis Griffiths, R-;v. W. Grif- fiths, and E. Vaughan (clerk).—The Clerk reported that he bad collected the sam of £ 1 8s. 4d. from school fees due, which was the last of the fees. He had also arranged for a sewing mistress for Craigrhiwglyn, who, however, wanted to leave in a month's time from the date of her engagement. Mr. Lewis (the head master) required an assistant mistress to take sewing.—Mr. Abel desired the appointment of an assistant before they would be dealing fairly with the school. It would be for the Board to appoint a monitor or not with the assistant.—The Rev. W. Griffiths thought the master could take four standards together very well. He deprecated giving masters too large a staff, thereby placing them more in the capacity of inspectors than teachers.—The Clerk read the relative cost of teaching in the various schools, Gilfach was £ 3 4s. 81d.. and Craigrhiwglyn was J/l. more per head.—Mr. Abel proposed that tlw Board appoint an assistant for that school. lIe- thought it contrary to the reason and experience of members as Sunday School teachers that forty could be taught quite as easily as twenty. He had been one himself for twenty years, and found it difficult to teach even seven or eight.—Mr. Lewis Griiliths seconded it, on the understanding that the teacher could take sewing, which was generally agreed to.—Mr. Evan Griffiths thought the com- parison of Sunday School teaching was odious. He proposed as an amendment that the matter remain as at present.—The Rev. W. Griffiths seconded.—Mr. Lewis Griffiths thought the in- crease ought to be taken into consideration.-—Mr. Evan Griffiths deprecated any lengrthy discussion, but his judgment was that they would not be consistent in giving. another assistant in a school of this number.—The number on the books at the school were as follows :—Standard I., 41 children, pupil teacher Second, in children, monitress Fourth, 15, assistant Fifth, Sixth, and Saventh, 29, head-master. The attendance that day was 122 altogether. He reminded them that the school rate for the past half-year was Is. larger than aver it was.—The Chairman decided the matter by voting for the amendment.—It was decided that the clerk obtain another sewing mistress.—The Clerk read the estimate of receipts and expenditure for the forthcoming half-year ending May next as fol- lows :—Balance in hand, £ 203 6s. 4d.: fees, £ 20» 2s. 6d. expenditure—salaries Nantymoel, £ 301 Craigrhiwglyn, £ 147 GJynogwr, £ 67 Gilfach i Goch, £ 122 10s.; total, £ 637 14s. officers, 14s. 4d.: cleaners of four schools, Y.36 13s. lad.; estimate for completing Nantymoel repairs, £ 100; fuel, £ 30; books, ,( 50; general repairs, £ 30; cleaning materials, £ 5 two instalments of loan (one already due), 4,275 total. £1.211 2s. 2d. The balance between receipts and expenditure was £ 802 13s. 4d.. and the Board decided, after a little j discussion, to issue a precept of £ S00.—Mr. James Abel brought forward his motion, of which he had previously given notice, that Welsh be taken as » specific subject in the schools under the Board- j The time had come when their language ought to j have the consideration it deserved. They had long been unfairly dealt with by not being allowed tO teach Welsh in their schools-(hear, hear)—and it was because they were not allowed the advantage that the beautiful language had been neglected. It was a pity that they could not learn their mother tongue in day schools. They could easily take the subject in the Board's district, because he had ascertained ithiit there were 700 children in the schools in the valley who attended Sunday Schools, and it was a pity that these were allowed to be for five days in the week denied the privilege of being taught the Welsh language. He then submitted his motion.—The Rev. W. Griffiths said some of schoolmasters had been speaking to him, and bad- asked him to oppose the motion, but he asked them their reason. They gave no reason, but simply dissented from view. However, until any really specIal objection was forthcoming they ought to encoura»e Welsh teaching.—The Chairman I don't thifl^ the masters are all capable of teaching Welsh. Rev. W. Griffiths Well, then, we must get tbeic" We are not going to sacrifice our children's kno"- ledge upon the altar of incapability.—Mr. Evall Griffiths believed that it would be advantageous to both 'the English and Welsh children to learn tbC Welsh language.—Mr. Lewis Griffiths and Chairman being also in favour of the resolution,1 was carried unanimously.—The new departure will be taken in hand at the beginning of the school year. and Mr. Abel produced an arrange- ment formulated by the Committee for the tion of the Welsh Language, but it was explain^ j that it would be all subject to the approval of inspector.-Three boys were hauled up before the Board, and lectured upon the advisability o* attending school more regularly.—Mr. Jones, head- master Nantymoel School, received the full apprOt bation of the Board in an intended desire to go up a concert, the proceeds of which were to pur, chase a school harmonium.—The Rev. W. Griffiths said the committee of himself and Mr. Griffiths had drawn up a pamphlet to be issued showing parents the advantages of their sending their thildren regularly to school under the grants I of the recent Free Education Act.-This was tbe most important business.

Epps's COCOA.—GRATEFUL AND COMFORTIS*^ By a thorough knowledge of the natural lilwo 011. which govern the operations of digestion and nutriti011; and by a careful application of the fine properties or well-selected CIJCOA, Mr. Epps has provided otir breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverag which may save us many heavy doctor's bills. 1*' by the judicious use of such articles of diet that constitution may be gradually built up until s^01^. enough to resist every tendency to disease. dreds of subtle maladies are floating around us to attack wherever there is a weak point. We escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves fortified with pure blood and a properly nourish^ frame."—Civil Service Gazette.—Made simply boiling water or milk. Sold only in packets, Grocers, labelled—" JAMES EPPS & Co., Homceopa^ Chemists, London."—Also makers of Epps's noon Chocolate Essence. HOME CURE FOF DEAFNESS.—A book by a Aural Surgeon, describing a System of curing De ness and Noises in the Head by which a scIf-ctir:b8 effected at home. The Rev. D. H. W. Harlock, Parsonage, Milton-under-Wyncliwood, writes :— the system by all means, it is first rate, and has of the utmost tterrice to me." Post free 4d.—DE tiLC VXD Co., Publishers, 22, Warwick-lane. LONDON*. VE MILLIONS IN CHANCERY.—List of those Vho ■?» Money in Chancery, free for 3d. Send and see pi-jjp is any money for you.—Address, Chancery Agency, 59, Newman Street, London, W. No MORE GRAY HAIR OR BALD HEADS. the People's Fireside Journal, this week. All j agents, Id.; post free, 2d., from 59, Newman-s™ | London, W. J i